When Is a Good Time for a Hair Transplant?

I was just wondering when you can get a hair transplant. I’m 20 years old, male. My hair is falling and I’ve already started the propecia. I know that the propecia isn’t going to get me to where I am before so I just want to get a transplant. I don’t want to stick with where I’m at. There are no bald spots….just the scalp is visible all over when my hair is wet. My question is this…..can I get a hair transplant already or do i have to have a bald spot? Thanks a whole bunch.

You should be on Propecia (finasteride 1mg) for at least a year. You need to get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and follow the benefits or lack of benefits of the drug. Either you will:

1. Get better with less miniaturization after a year
2. Slow or stop the hair loss
3. Get worse

Based upon the response to the miniaturization mapping, you need to develop a Master Plan with your doctor which will define the various paths open to you, including the timing of things you can do. Some men of your age will slow, stop, or reverse the hair loss on Propecia, while others may continue to bald at their own accelerated rate indicative of strong genetic and hormonal influences. There is no magic about hair transplants and if you are going to get really bald, then great care in how transplants are used is critical to being sure that you will always look normal, never trading short term benefits for your long term appearance. The Master Plan will lay out the transplant option and put it into perspective with projections on your hair loss which might be easy for a doctor with a great deal of experience in doing such predictions. 20 year old men are often less objective and less able to stand back and look at the long term hair loss process when they have short term needs (girls, self confidence), but some doctors see the money in it and may be willing to take your money to allow you to focus on short term agenda issues. That is in no man’s best interest. If you are unfortunate and have a very rapid hair loss process going on that is not benefited from Propecia, hair transplants could be the worst thing you could do right now. Please remember the following philosophy: A Good Decision Today is a Good Decision Tomorrow. Get a caring doctor who works with you on that Master Plan I discussed. I have done a few hair transplants in very young men (early 20s) but I am careful that I know what is happening to them and I learn a great deal about them as fellow human being before embarking on such a path.